My Master Knows It All

371: Chapter 158: I’m Really Not Here to Argue_6 371: Chapter 158: I’m Really Not Here to Argue_6 Elder Huan Kong sneered coldly and ceased his secretive communication with Lin Xuefeng, instead, turning to the others and saying, “Fellow Peak Masters, it has been quite some time since I last left my sect.

I am not very knowledgeable about the outside world.

May I ask what areas of expertise the two Peak Masters possess?”

Areas of expertise?

Cao Zhen felt somewhat puzzled.

Why are you asking what I’m good at?

Although he found it strange, he couldn’t very well not respond, given the other party’s enthusiasm.

After some thought, he listed his skills: “My skills are quite varied, and I can’t say I excel in them, but I know a little bit of everything, such as alchemy, talisman making, mechanical techniques, formations, and the Six Arts of [Agriculture]…

military law, poetry, lyrics, songs, prose, and the dao of calligraphy and painting.”

As he spoke, he recalled his previous connection with Gao Jianli and added, “Oh, and there is the path of musical rhythm.

I also understand a little bit about that.”

When you’re out and about, it’s still better to keep a low profile.

“Oh?

Peak Master Cao, you are indeed a rare talent,” Elder Huan Kong commented with a burst of laughter, his heart filled with silent mirth.

As expected, everything is just as I thought; this Peak Master is here to deceive others.

Who can truly master so many fields?

The more he claims to know, the less seriously others will take him.

If we aren’t well-prepared on our side and face his disciples, those who have truly come to debate the Dao might suffer a great disadvantage.

Unfortunately for them, I am in charge of the debating this time, and I have already made thorough preparations.

Their tricks will not work.

While laughing, he turned to Lan Pili and asked, “May I ask what Peak Master Lan is skilled in?”

Lan Pili was speechless upon hearing Cao Zhen’s words.

Peak Master Cao, why are you running off at the mouth so much?

Aren’t we just here to buy some materials?

You’re so casual with your words.

In response to Elder Huan Kong’s inquiry, he humbly waved his hand and said, “I wouldn’t say I’m skilled, but I do have a certain understanding of the Six Arts of [Agriculture].”

[Agriculture]?

Cao Zhen looked at Lan Pili with some surprise.

He didn’t know that Lan Pili specialized in [Agriculture].

It turns out that although he had never studied the Six Arts of [Agriculture], he had connected with the earth, so this path of [Agriculture] could truly be considered his specialty.

Elder Huan Kong nodded slightly.

As an elder of Thousand Caves Door, he naturally had a deep understanding of Hundred Peaks Sect.

He was aware of the specialties of each peak in Hundred Peaks Sect.

He didn’t recognize Lan Pili, but he knew that this person was the former Peak Master of Lightning Peak, Tian Pili, who specialized in the Six Arts of [Agriculture].

It was after Tian Pili that Lightning Peak began to inherit the tradition of [Agriculture].

In fact, Lightning Peak was previously ranked after the ninety-fifth peak.

It was Tian Pili who introduced the path of [Agriculture] to Lightning Peak, and by virtue of this Six Art, Lightning Peak managed to secure some positions in the great competition of Hundred Peaks and rose slightly in ranking.

Perhaps Lightning Peak’s ranking isn’t high, but they do have some merit in the path of [Agriculture].

So Peak Master Cao is here to confuse others, whereas Lan Pili is likely someone who truly came to debate the Dao.

However, the path of [Agriculture] is something that in previous years, Thousand Caves Door was not really skilled in, but this year, it’s a different story altogether.

With a judgment formed in his heart, Elder Huan Kong’s gaze shifted to the disciples standing behind the two men and asked, “May I know which peaks the disciples belong to, and what are their specializations?”

The disciples of Hundred Peaks Sect, though perplexed, began to answer one after another.

“Immortal Pen Peak, Chang Tiance, specializes in the Calligraphy Dao.”

Elder Huan Kong nodded slightly.

Indeed, his guess had been correct.

Immortal Pen Peak did not rank within the top fifty of the Hundred Peaks Sect; the latest ranking was sixty-two.

However, Immortal Pen Peak specialized in the Calligraphy Dao.

Presumably, Chang Tiance was the disciple of the Hundred Points Sect most proficient in calligraphy.

“Disciple, Zither Music Peak …”

As Cao Zhen listened to one disciple after another from the Hundred Peaks Sect discuss what they were good at, he felt something was increasingly amiss.

All they had come for was to purchase some items, yet the other party continuously inquired about what he and the disciples excelled in…

Could it be that they intended to engage in a debate with them?

No sooner had this thought arisen than Elder Huan Kong’s voice rang out, “Having learned what each of you excels at, why don’t we begin our debate, my Dao Companions?”

As he spoke, he first turned to Chang Tiance, “This disciple is skilled in the Dao of Calligraphy, so shall we start with calligraphy?”

Cao Zhen was completely at a loss for words.

The people from Thousand Caves Door really wanted to debate!

He just wanted to buy some materials; he didn’t have time to linger here.

It would be better to clarify matters.

Thinking this, he secretly transmitted a message to Lan Pili, “Old Lan, they’ve misunderstood us.

What are these people from Thousand Caves Door thinking?

They don’t even ask for clarification.

Seeing us arrive, they assume we’re here to debate.

Don’t they know that we are preparing to send an emissary delegation to the Capital City?

Couldn’t they have considered that?

And yet they jump straight to debating!

You are the chief envoy; you should make things clear to them.

Let’s just buy what we need and leave.”

“Actually, we can’t really blame them,” Lan Pili helplessly responded.

“They should be aware that we would send an emissary delegation.

But under normal circumstances, we wouldn’t pass by their Thousand Caves Door on our way to the Capital City.

We took two detours, making a wide loop before we arrived here.

Thus, their assumption that we’ve come for a debate is natural.

This oversight was my mistake.

However, backing down is absolutely out of the question!

They’ve already suggested a debate.

If we claim now that we didn’t come for debate, others might think our Hundred Peaks Sect is afraid of their Thousand Caves Door!

For the sake of our sect’s reputation, we cannot back down no matter what.

Even though we are few in number, we still must uphold the dignity of the Hundred Peaks Sect.

Besides, aren’t you here?”

Lan Pili added, after a brief pause, with an air of speechlessness in his secret transmission, “But really, Old Cao, why did you mention you were good at so many things?

Because of that, they will have more areas to challenge us in.

And you’re actually skilled in swordsmanship, respected by Wu Jianzi of the Sword Sect himself.

Why didn’t you say you were proficient in swordsmanship?”

Cao Zhen didn’t respond; he was actually relieved he hadn’t mentioned an expertise in the Sword Dao.

He had been able to beat Wu Jianzi because Wu Jianzi was strong enough for Cao Zhen to convince him to persuade himself.

The people from Thousand Caves Door were nowhere near Wu Jianzi’s level; if they really did debate swordsmanship with him, after Cao Zhen’s long spiel, they still wouldn’t be able to convince themselves, and that would be a disaster.

Lan Pili grumbled in frustration but began to ponder how to find an opportunity to claim that Peak Master Cao was skilled in swordsmanship.

If Cao Zhen could win a swordsmanship debate against Wu Jianzi, even making Wu Jianzi accept Cao Zhen as a Pathfinder, wouldn’t it be easy for Peak Master Cao to prevail in a debate of swordsmanship against Thousand Caves Door?

They definitely needed to include swordsmanship.